Abstract
Fluoride concentrations and acid solubilities at 4 different sites (mesio-buccal, disto-buccal, mesio-palatal, and disto-palatal) and 4 different layers (0.8-20μm)of the enamel surfaces in the twenty extracted upper first molars were compared with the micro-sampling and determination technique.
The results were as follows.
1) The highest fluoride concentration was found at the disto-buccal site and the lowest was the mesio-palatal site in each depth (p<0.05).
2) The acid solubilities showed an increasing tendency from the enamel surface toward the deep layer.
3) There was a tendency to a reversed relationship between the fluoride concentration and acid solubility.
4) Mean Ca/P (W/W %) values ranged from 2.02-2.13.
5) The mean etching depths were approximately 20m. The calculated depths (from Ca determination) and observed depths (determined with SEM images)showed a significant correlation (p <0.01).
